Metallic hand railing



July 10, 1956 L. w. cREMENs 2,754,092

METALLIC HAND RAILING Original Filed Feb. 25, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Feb. 25, 1950 July 10, 1956 w. cREMENs METALLIC HAND RAILING 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Feb. 25, 1950 BY WMM Afro/eA/fy- W] MM July 10, 1955 W CREME-N5 2,754,092

METALLIC HAND RAILING Original Filed Feb. 25, 1950 4 Sheets-Snes. 4

IN VEN TOR.

2,754,092 METALLIC HAND RAILING Leroy W. Cremens, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Original application February 25, 1950, Serial No. 146,224, now Patent No. 2,654,579, dated October 6, 1953. Divided and this application March 27, 1953, Serial No. 345,023

My invention relates to railings, balustrades, fences, and the like, and consists in certain new and useful improvements in such structures formed of metal.

The object of the inveniton is to provide a metal railing of simplified and economical construction, a construction that features novel fittings which permit the structure to be erected and assembled without the necessity of shop fabrication, and without welding. The consumer may, by means of the usual simple tools he has available, readily install the railing structure himself.

Among the other objects of the invention it may be noted that the structure is of extraordinary sturdiness and rigidity.

The invention will be understood upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which exemplary form of my railing structure is illustrated:

Fig. 1 is a view of a stair railing in side elevation, the View indicating in outline a flight of stairs and a horizontal platform, with my railing structure installed both on the stairs and on the platform, the railing structure on the platform being shown fragmentarily;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in perspective, showing to larger scale the bottom rail of the structure with one baluster installed, and showing the top rail of the structure in position for assembly with the top of the baluster;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of an extruded metal section to still larger scale, from which certain socket members are cut for attaching the ends of the balusters to the rails of the structure;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the top of one of the balusters to the scale of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a View to the scale of Fig. 3, showing in perspective a modified form of socket element for securing the balusters to the top and bottom rails of the structure;

Fig. 6 is a view to the scale of Fig. 3, perspective an extruded metal section, from which socket elements of another modified form may be cut;

Fig. 7 is a view, comparable with Fig. 5, showing still another modified form of socket element;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view to the scale of Fig. 2, showing in side elevation one of the balusters used with the socket elements shown in Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 6;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, showing a baluster of the form used with the socket element shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. l is a View to smaller scale than Figs. 8 and 9, showing in perspective one of the many variants in the form of balusters which may be used in my railing structure, the ends of this baluster being shaped for use with the socket elements of Figs. 2, 3, and 6;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view in perspective to the scale of Fig. 7, illustrating partly in elevation and partly in section, a baluster formed of a hollow tube of metal with solid terminal portions;

Fig. 12 is a view in perspective to the scale of Fig. 3, showing a certain boss element for securing the ends of the rail members to the railing posts;

showing in f ntcd States Patent Fig. 13 is a view in perspective to smaller scale than Fig. 2 but larger scale than Fig. 1, showing a cornerpiece that is used where a horizontal reach of my railing structure includes a right-angle turn;

Fig. 14 illustrates in perspective how the corner-piece of Fig. 13 unites and encloses the meeting ends of two angularly extending rail members;

Fig. 15 is a view to slightly larger scale than Figs. 13 and 14, showing in perspective a terminal-piece for the railing structure;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary view in vertical section, showing to slightly larger scale the terminal-piece of Fig. 15 in assembly with the railing structure;

Fig. 17 is a view to the scale of Fig. 16, showing in perspective a device for installing a ball or knob where desired on the top-rail of the railing structure;

Fig. 18 is a view in side elevation, illustrating a device for uniting the top-rail of the railing structure at the point where an inclined railing portion merges with a horizontal rail portion;

Fig. 19 is a view in perspective of a bracket element for securing the top and bottom rails of the railing structure to a wall or other vertical support;

Fig. 20 is a view in perspective to the scale of Fig. 3, showing still another modification in the form of the socket element; and

Fig. 2l is an exploded view in perspective of the modified form of baluster and securing means used with the modified socket element shown in Fig. 20.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, a railing structure of the invention is illustrated for a flight of stairs 2 and a landing or platform 3. Between the posts 4 and 5, secured in usual manner to the floor at the bottom and top of the stairs, an inclined railing structure 6 is installed, while between the post 5 and a wall 7 a horizontal railing structure 8 extends. Each of said railing structures or portions is formed of a handrail or top rail member 9 and a bottom rail member 10, secured at their ends to the posts 4, 5 and wall 7, as shown. At uniformly spaced intervals longitudinally of the railing structure the top and bottom rail members are interconnected and rigidly integrated by means of vertical balusters 11. Between the post 4 and the adjacent baluster 11 an ornamental insert 12 of any suitable design may be installed for increasing the artistic appeal of the railing structure, and such an insert 12 may also be applied between all of the successive balusters of the structure.

Referring to Fig. 2, the top or hand-rail 9 comprises a section of extruded metal, preferably aluminum, although brass or other metal susceptible of extrusion may be the metal. The particular cross sectional form of the rail 9 is subject to wide variation in structural and artistic form, but it is desirable from the standpoint of economy that the wall thickness of the section, whatever its particular contour, shall be relatively thin, say from lAG to fle". Essentially, the rail 9 includes two downwardly directed flanges 9a, 9a that extend longitudinally of the rail body. These flanges, as will presently appear, provide a channel in which certain socket elements 13 are secured for the attachment of the upper ends of the balusters 11, which are preferably formed of the same metal as the rest of the railing structure. The bottom rail il) is also for .red of a section of extruded metal, having two upwardly directed, longitudinally extending flanges lila, 10a, between which lies a channel wherein certain socket elements 14 are secured for the attachment of the lower ends of the balusters 11. In this case the flanges 9a, 9a in the hand-rail and the flanges 10a, 10a in the bottom rail are inclined, converging in the direction of the free edges of the flanges. Such inclination of the flanges is preferable, if not essential, as greater strength and rigidity of the rail body are thereby obtained. Also, it is to be noted that the socket elements (13 and' 14) which are secured between the tlanges, serve effectively to reinforce the bodies of the rails 9 and 10. However, the reinforcement obtained by the structure described is substantially increased in accord ance with a. feature of this invention. That is to say, between the inclined flanges of each railV member a heavy rib is integrallyv incorporatedlin the extruded metai section. More particularly, in theA top or hand-rail 9 a rib 9b is formed, and in the bottom rail 19 a rib lii'b is provided. Thesocket elements 13 and 14 are provided with grooves 13a and. 14a', respectively, that snugly engage thc ribs 9b and ltb of the rails) and 1i?, and thereby provide rigidity andstructural strength that have hitherto been lacking in light metal railing structures.

The socket elements 13 and 14. are formed from a continuous sectionV of extruded metal shown ragrnentarily in Fig. 3. The lengths ofthe elements cut from the section equal. thev breadthof the ends of the balusters 11, the upper end. of one of the balusters 11 being shown inV Fig. 4, while both endsvv of a. baluster are shown in Figs. 2 and S.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be understood that each ofthe socket elements13 includes. a head portion that snugly tits the channel formed by the inclined anges 9a, 9a and the interconnecting web portion of the rail body 9. The groove 13a in the head portion engages the rib 9b of the rail body. The socket element 13 includes an integral transverse web 13b that augments the strength of the socket eiement per se, as well as the rigidity of the railing structure in which a plurality of such socket elements is incorporated. Extending downward from the head portion o-f the socket element is a pair of side walls 13e, 13e that are spaced apart, as shown, to provide a recess or socket to receive the upper end of a baluster 11, The side walls 13e, 13e have on their internal faces opposed tongues 13d, 13d and the upper end of the balusters include grooves 11a, 11a that engage the tongues on the internal faces of the side walls 13e, 13C.

The socket elements 14 for the bottom ends of the balusters are shown to be identical in form to the top socket elements 13, and are cut from the same extruded stock as that shown in Fig. 3. It need merely be noted that the bottom socket elements 14 are inverted counterparts of the socket elements 13, and are engaged to the rib 10b and secured between the anges 16a, 16a of the bottom rail 10 in substantially the same manner as the top socket elements 13 are assembled in the top rail 9.

The socket elements, as well as the rest of the structural organization shown in Fig. 2, are manifestly designed for a railing that extends horizontally, such as the railing portion S of Fig. 1. In making the assembly of such a railing portion, the number of balusters required in the given length of railing is determined, and top and bottom rails 9 and 10 are cut from the extruded stock to proper length. Then the required number of socket elements 13 are assembled in the top rail 9 and` secured in properly longitudinally spaced positions, as by means of set-screws 15 (Fig. 2) passed through the ilanges 9a, 9a and engaged in threaded holes 16 in the head portion of each socket element. Likewise, socket elements 14 are assembled and secured in complementarily spaced relation in the bottom rail 1t), and in the intervals between the socket elements 14, the upwardly open channels between the iianges 10a, ma are closed by means of cover plates 17 secured to the top edges of the said flanges of the bottom rail. In exemplary way snap-flanges 17a are provided on the cover plates to engage the inner edges'of the flanges 10a, 19a.

The ends of the top andY bottom rails are secured to the post 5 and the wall 7, by means of special attachment elementsk designed for this purpose. The special elements for attaching the railV ends Vto the post 5 may comprise blocks 18. As shown in Fig. 12, such blocks 1S comprise a head portion 18a formed to t snugly in the end of the channel formed between the franges 9a, 9a of the top rail. Holes 18h are formed in the block, through which screws are passed to engage the block to the upper portion of post 5. The end of the top rail is positioned over the head portion 18a of the block and secured thereto by means of screws passed through the flanges 9a, 9a into engagement with threaded holes 18e in the block. (Fig. 12.).

Tr e bottom rail 16 is secured to the post 5 by means of a biocl; which is the same as block 18 that secures the top rail, only invertedin position.

The top rail is secured to the wall 7 by means of a terminal eiement, such as shown in Fig. 19, comprising a .iiange portion 19a provided with holes 19h for lag screws to secure the element to the face of the Wall 7, and a sleeve portieri 19.: that is formed telescopically to engage and secure the right-hand end ofthe top rail as indicated in Fig. l. A similar, terminal element Zit (Fig. i) is provided telescopically to engage the end of the bottom rail and secure it to the wall.

When the top, and bottom rails, with the socket elements 13. and 14 installed, have been mounted between the post S and wall 7, the balusters 11 are assembled between the paired, vertically aligned socket elements of the tcp and bottom rails. The showing of Fig. 2 will ciearly reveal to those skilled in the art the manner in which the ends of the balusters are engaged in the socket elements. Screws 21 passed through side walls 13e and 14e may be tightened in threaded engagement with the body of the baluster, to assure absolute rigidity and permanence of the assembly.

In those cases where the railing is of six or more feet in length, oneV or more base elements 22 are provided at appropriate points medially to add support for the structure. As shown in Fig. 2 such base elements may consist of a section cut from extruded stock, including two vertical legs 22a, 22a having out-turned feet 22h that may be anchored, as by means of oor-bolts or lag screws, to the platform or door 3. The top of the basal element comprises a transverse web 22e extending integrally between the tops of legs 22a and being dished or inversely arched to receive the curved under face of the bottom rail 10. A transverse web 22d is provided for reinforcement of the base element.

The bottom rail 10 includes a central, longitudinal V-groove 10c that engages a rib 22e formed on the top of the base element, thereby insuring a centering and alignment of these parts. It will be understood that screws (not shown) may be employed rigidly to engage the top web 22C of the base element to the curved wall of the bottom rail 10, thus providing absolute security of assembly.

Thus, the horizontal railing structure is formed and installed. There are many permissive modifications in details of construction, within the spirit of the invention. The extruded stock 23, from which such modiiied socket elements may be cut, is shown in Fig. 6, and a consideration of this iigure will reveal how each of the socket elements (otherwise identical with socket elements 13, 14) may have a cylindrical head portion derived from the hollow tube portion 23a of the stock. This tube portion includes a groove 23h which in each of the socket elements cut from the stock provides a groove to engage the ribs 9b or 10b in the top and bottom rails.

In further modication each socket element may comprise a metal casting24 (Fig. 5), having a substantially spherical head portion, 24a, formed with an arcuate groove 24b that is adapted to engage the ribs 9b or 10b of the top or'bottom rails. The spherical head is provided with threaded holes 24C to receive-the screws 15 (Fig. 2) that secure the' socket elements to the rails 9 and 10. While this, socket element isperfectly adaptedy for use in the horizontal railing, structureA presently under con- 5 sideration, it may be noted that the curved form of the head portion and the groove of this type of socket element permits of the inclination of the rails with respect' to the balusters, as is essential in the inclined railing portion for the stairway (2, Fig. 1), as will presently appear. Each of the forms of socket elements thus far described are designed to receive and secure the grooved ends of the type of balusters shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 8. The particular form of the balusters between the grooved upper and lower ends may take a wide variety of detailed construction. ln Fig. l is shown one of the many variants. The body 2S of the balusters may consist of two straps of metal twisted to serpentine contour between the grooved end pieces 25a, 25a.

In lieu of the tongue-and-groove engagement of the balusters to the socket elements, other types of union may be used, and in Fig. 7 the form of socket element shown in Fig. is modified, in exemplary way, to provide for the threaded attachment of balusters to the socket elements. Specifically, the socket element 26 of Fig. 7 includes a threaded socket 26a, and the top of each baluster is formed with a threaded stem 27 (Fig. 9) for threaded assembly in such socket. The lower end of the baluster is provided with a stem 27a, which is provided with a left-hand thread, while the stem 27 at the top of the baluster has a right-hand thread. The socket elements 26 for the top rail 9 will correspondingly have right-hand threads, while the socket elements of the bottom rail will have left-hand threads. Thus, by placing the threaded stems at the upper and lower ends of a baluster in the opposed pair of socket elements in the top and bottom rails, the rotation of the baluster will run the threaded stems of the baluster home in the threaded sockets of said elements. This modification is in many instances a very desirable structure. Its use, however, means that the assembly of the socket elements, top and bottom rails, and balusters is to be made before the railing structure is secured to the post 5 and wall 7, but this is not a prohibitive condition in most cases.

Fig. 11 illustrates that the balusters need not be formed of solid extruded bars, but may be formed of either extruded or fabricated tubes 2S of aluminum, stainless steel, or the like, having at each end an attaching portion 28a for engaging the baluster to a socket element of the railing structure. Each attaching element may consist of an independently fashioned device fitted and secured in the end of the tube, as by means of dimpling the wall of the tube into engagement with a groove 28b in the body of the attaching element.

Before turning to a consideration of the assembly of the inclined railing portion 6 (Fig. l), there is still to be described another modification of the structure of the socket elements for the horizontal railing structure. Fig. illustrates another variant of extruded stock 29 of which to form the socket elements 13 and 14. This stock may be identical with that shown in Fig. 3, except that the tongues 29d on the side Walls 29s are of dove-tail shape, as shown. With socket elements cut from the stock 29, the balusters may be of the same form as shown in Fig. 9 or Fig. 1l, but with this form of baluster having, as it does, threaded attachment stems, a washer element 30 and a nut 31 are provided as shown in Fig. 21. rThe washer 3i) freely fits over the threaded stem 27, and is provided with wedge-shaped edges 30a, 30a that severally engage the bottom edges of the dovetailed tongues 29d (Fig. 20), while the nut 31 is provided with wedge-shaped edges 31a, 31a that engage the top edges of said tongues. The bore 31b of the nut element 31 is threaded for screw engagement with the stem Z7 of the baluster. It will be perceived that, with the nut and washer elements positioned above and below the dovetailed tongues 29d, 29d of the socket element cut from stock 29, the stem 27 of the baluster may be inserted through the orifice 30b of the washer element and into screw-threaded engagement with the nut element 31. and

that, by turning the baluster, the screw' stem may be caused to draw the elements 30 and 31 together into a tightly locked engagement with the dove-tailed tongues 29d, 29d of the socket element. The shoulder 27b of the baluster is drawn and forced against the bottom of the washer element 30, and so the washer element, nut element, and the upper end of the baluster are locked in rigid union with the socket element and with the top rail with which the socket element is assembled. The same assembly may be employed to secure the lower end of the baluster to the bottom rail of the railing structure, it being noted that the thread on the stem at the lower end of the baluster, and the thread in the lower nut element will be left-handed, so that the rotation of the baluster will lock the Washer and nut element at both the upper and lower ends of the baluster simultaneously to the socket elements in the top and bottom rails 9 and 10. Each baluster may be thus secured in the railing structure.

In some cases the horizontal rail structure will extend in two reaches that intersect angularly. For such installations a corner-piece 32 of the form shown in Fig. 13 may be provided, to give a smooth nish at the corner of the meeting reaches of the hand-rail 9. The cornerpiece 32 comprises two sleeve portions 32a and 32b that are telescopically fitted upon the intersecting or meeting ends of two top rails 9, as shown in Fig. 14.

Turning now to a consideration of the inclined railing portion 6 (Fig. l), the ends of the top and bottom rails 9 and 10 are cut on an angle to abut tiush against the facing sides of the posts 4 and 5, and blocks 33 are secured to such posts to receive and secure the ends of the inclined rails 9 and 10, after the manner that the blocks 18 receive and secure the horizontal rails, already described. The blocks 33 are substantially the same in form as the blocks 18, save portion of the blocks 33 to the inclination of the inclined railing 6.

The socket elements for securing the balusters 11 to the inclined top and bottom rails are of the form 24 shown in Fig. 5, in which the spherical head 24a and'- the arcuate groove 24b, engaged to the ribs (9b and 10b, Fig. 2) of the rails, permit the socket elements to be angularly adjusted in the vertical plane, defined by the are chamfered to adapt them top and bottom rails of the,

` center lines of the top and bottom rails, into such positions that the upper and lower ends of the balusters 11 may be secured to the socket elements, as shown in Fig. 1. In view of what has been described of the horizontal rail structure, it is needless further to elaborate on the assembly of the inclinedrailing portion 6. It may be noted, however, that the socket element 26 may be employed in the inclined railing, with the form of baluster shown in Fig. 9.

The lower end of the hand-rail 9 of the inclined rail is equipped with a terminal-piece 34 that lends a finished appearance to the structure. As shown in Figs. 15 and 16, the terminal-piece includes a sleeve portion 34a that is secured telescopically upon the lower end of the rail 9, and a curled tip portion 34b. The terminal-piece 34 provides a finish of neat and pleasing appearance, screening the joint where the hand-rail 9 is united to the post 4.

Additionally, at the point where the horizontal and inclined rails 9 of the railing structure are united to the post 5, a finish-element 35 is provided. This finishelement is formed of two sleeve portions 35a, 35a that are united in a seam 35C, and on the horizontal sleeve portion a railing knob 35b is fixed. The finish element 35 is assembled telescopically upon the meeting ends of the horizontal and inclined sections of the hand-rail 9, as shown in Fig. 1, and as thus assembled a neat finish of the joint of the rail sections 9 with the post 5 is provided.

At any point in the rail 9 where a hand-knob is desired, a sleeve-element 36, of the sort shown in Fig. 17, may

that the sides of the head` be installed on the rail, such sleeve element bearing a knob 36a.

It may be noted that the hollow rails 9 and 1l) of the structure are adapted to form raceways for housing electrical circuit wires and/or conduits for water or other duid.

Notice is given of my copending application for patent, Serial No. 146,224, tiled February 25, 1950, now Letters Patent No. 2,654,579, of which my present application is a division.

I claim:

1. In a railing structure comprising an extruded metal hand-rail body having two downwardly directed longitudinally extending flanges spaced apart transversely of the hand-rail body, and a longitudinally extending rib integrally formed on the said body between said ilanges, together with a plurality of socket elements secured in spaced relation longitudinally of the hand-rail body, and balusters removably secured severally at their upper ends in `said .socket elements; the improvements herein disclosed wherein said ilanges extend downwardly a substantial ,distance below said rib for laterally supporting said socket elements below Vsaid rib and screening from `view .said rib and the engagement of the socket ele ments therewith, said socket elements having each a hollow head portion including a groove for snugly engaging said rib on the hand-rail body and side portions for engagement by said flanges.

2. In .a railing structure comprising an extruded metal hand-rail body having two downwardly directed longitudinally extending anges spaced apart transversely of the handrail body, and a longitudinally extending rib integrally formed on the said body between said anges, together 'with a plurality of socket elements secured in spaced relation longitudinally of the hand-rail body, and balusters removably secured severally at their upper ends in said socket elements; the improvements herein disclosed wherein said llanges extend downwardly a substantial distance below said rib for laterally supporting said socket elements below said rib and screening from view said rib and the engagement of the socket. elements therewith, said socket elements having each a head portion engaged to said hand-rail body between said flanges, and a socket portion extending downwardly from said portion and opening downwardly to receive the top of one of said balusters.

3. ln a railing structure comprising an extruded metal hand-rail body having two downwardly directed longitudinally extending flanges spaced apart transversely of the hand-rail body, and a longitudinally extending rib integrally formed on the said body between said anges, together with a plurality of socket elements secured in spaced relation longitudinally of the hand-rail body, and balusters removably secured severally at their upper ends in said socket elements; the improvements herein disclosed wherein said anges extend downwardly a substantial distance below said rib for laterally supporting said socket elements below said rib and screening from view said rib and the engagement of the socket elements therewith, said socket elements having each a hollow head portion including a groove for snugly engaging said rib on the hand-rail body and side portions for engagement by said lianges, and each socket element having a socket portion extending downwardly frorn said head portion and open ing downwardly for receiving and engaging the top of one of said balusters.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,772,159 Roth Aug. 5, 1930 1,796,175 Winston Nov. l0, 1931 2,427,723 Hawkins et al Sept. 23, 1947 2,431,546 Edwards Nov. 25, 1947 2,517,959 Baldwin Aug. 8, 1950 2,590,929 Bush Apr. l, 1952 

